Is there a feminist breakthrough in Argentine archaeology?

VERONICA I WILLIAMS

Darwin

Congreso; WAC 10; 2025

Flinders University and Northern Institute at Charles Darwin University

Feminist critique has prompted significant changes in archaeology, particularly in South America, which has often been an outside observer of these discussions. A new wave of thought is highlighting the ways patriarchy manifests within the discipline. The history of archaeology in Argentina is marked by political and ideological shifts that have affected women’s roles and working conditions. Over the last fifty years, few women have reached leadership positions or mentored female students. Understanding the conditions that shaped early female archaeologists and how knowledge was passed down is crucial for constructing historiographies and recognizing our identities as female academics. To foster dialogue, we organized two meetings called “El pasado nos convoca,” bringing together women archaeologists from different generations in Northwest Argentina and broadening the conversation to include women and dissidents across South America to reflect on our practices in a historically male-dominated context.